13 slide presentations, Dornach, Oct. 8, 1916 – Oct. 29, 1917 CW 292 Rudolf Steiner understood that the history of art is a field in which the evolution of consciousness is symptomatically and transparently revealed.

This informal sequence of thirteen lectures was given during the darkest hours of World War I. It was a moment when the negative consequences of what he called “the age of the consciousness soul,” which had begun around 1417, were most terribly made apparent. In these lectures he sought to provide an antidote to pessimism. After describing the movement of consciousness from Greece into Rome, which coupled with influences from the Orthodox East, he showed how these influences transformed as the Middle Ages became the Renaissance.

The process that begins with Cimabue and Giotto develops, deepens, and becomes more conscious in the great Renaissance masters Leonardo, Michelangelo, and Raphael. And then the continuation of this movement in the Northern masters—Du¨rer and Holbein, as well as the whole German tradition. An entire lecture is devoted to Rembrandt, followed by one on Dutch and Flemish painting. Thus themes are woven together that bring us into the way in which past epochs of consciousness and art live again in our consciousness soul epoch.

Replete with interesting information and over 600 color and black and white images, these lectures are rich and dense with ideas, enabling one to understand both the art of the Renaissance and the transformation of consciousness that it announced. These lectures demonstrate (to paraphrase Shelley) that artists truly are “the unacknowledged legislators of the age.”

Electronic Doppelganger, The The Mystery of the Double in the Age of the InternetSTEINER, RUDOLF EDITED WITH INTRO. BY A. NEIDER, TRANS. S. L. BRESLAW1855845253 / 9781855845251 (Selections, various GAs) ‘Large temptations will emanate from these machine-animals, produced by people themselves, and it will be the task of a spiritual science that explores the cosmos to ensure all these temptations do not exert any damaging influence on human beings.’ In an increasingly digitised world, where both work and play are more and more taking place online and via screens, Rudolf Steiner’s dramatic statements from 1917 appear prophetic. Speaking of ‘intelligent machines’ that would appear in the future, Steiner presents a broad context that illustrates the multitude of challenges human beings will face. If humanity and the Earth are to continue to evolve together with the cosmos, and not be cut off from it entirely, we will need to work consciously and spiritually to create a counterweight to such phenomena. In the lectures gathered here, edited with commentary and notes by Andreas Neider, Rudolf Steiner addresses a topic that he was never to speak of again: the secret of the ‘geographical’ or the ‘ahrimanic’ doppelgänger. The human nervous system houses an entity that does not belong to its constitution, he states. This is an ahrimanic being which enters the body shortly before birth and leaves at death, providing the basis for all electrical currents that are needed to process and coordinate sense perceptions and react to them. Based on his spiritual research, Rudolf Steiner discusses this doppelgänger or ‘double’ in the wider context of historic occult events relating to ‘spirits of darkness’. Specific brotherhoods seek to keep such knowledge to themselves in order to exert power and spread materialism. But this knowledge is critical, says Steiner, if the geographical doppelgänger and its challenges are to be understood. [When referring to this item please quote our ID 14271]
Price:
34.95 AUD

Happiness Fortune, Success and the Human SpiritSTEINER, RUDOLF, TRANS M. BARTON1855845326 / 9781855845329 What is true happiness? This perennial question preoccupies many experts, including biologists, psychologists, sociologists and theologians, but their findings usually confirm what we already knew: that happiness is one of the most sought-after but elusive commodities. Rudolf Steiner’s liberating view of happiness opens up new vistas and perspectives. Happiness, he says, depends on the human spirit, whose continuing evolution draws sustenance from the totality of life’s experiences. We develop and learn in equal measure from both good fortune and misfortune, success and disappointment. Steiner urges inner equilibrium, emphasizing the transience of outward happiness. Inward happiness, however, can never be taken from us, depending as it does on, ‘…whatever we ourselves make of our outward fortunes’. This rich and inspiring booklet gathers all Rudolf Steiner’s statements on the theme and features two complete lectures on happiness and spiritual knowledge. It also includes an insightful introductory essay by Daniel Baumgartner. [When referring to this item please quote our ID 14818]
Price:
24.50 AUD

This new edition of Sing Me the Creation has been thoroughly updated throughout, and there is a new first chapter and a handy index for reference.

Sing Me the Creation is an inspirational workbook of creative writing exercises for poets and teachers, and for all who wish to develop the life of the imagination. Paul Mathews gives us permission to indulge our fantasy, and then, when that life is flowing, provides the tools to craft it into poetry and song.

There are numerous exercises for improving writing skills and for self study. They are also ideally suited for group work with adults. Teachers will find these exercises popular with students.

“This book is quite simply the best I have ever come across on Creative Writing. I think this is because it has a spiritual direction, and therefore makes sense overall. Most such books end up by having no idea what it is all for. Paul shows us this, with great strength.” —Peter Redgrove, poet

“The most unusual guidebook for creative writing in the world … this book has wings.” —Robert Sardello, PhD, from his Foreword [When referring to this item please quote our ID 13962]
Price:
49.99 AUD

Children explore their creativity and develop fine motor skills building this natural wooden vehicle made of safe and durable hardwood from environmentally sustainable FSC-certified virgin birch. VARIS Construction Sets are based on a patented interlocking design based on traditional log building techniques allowing secure connections of separate pieces. The set includes 5 parts. - Parts are compatible with other VARIS Construction Sets. - Recommended for children 3+ years.

Natural building blocks made of safe and durable hardwood from environmentally sustainable FSC-certified virgin birch are a joy for children to construct with while exploring their creativity and developing fine motor skills. This basic Architect set has 25 pieces and is coloured using natural stain - Parts are compatible with other Varis Architecture sets - Recommended for children 5+ years. Packaging (mm): 35 x 130 x 170 Weight (g): 160